GB2205772A

GB2205772A - A badge press

Info

Publication number: GB2205772A
Application number: GB08710916A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Christopher Mutters
Original assignee: LONDON EMBLEM Co Ltd
Current assignee: LONDON EMBLEM Co Ltd
Priority date: 1987-05-08
Filing date: 1987-05-08
Publication date: 1988-12-21
Anticipated expiration: 2007-05-08
Also published as: GB2205772B; GB8710916D0

Abstract

A badge facing plate (103, Fig. 1a) is placed with its convex face uppermost into a loading die assembly 46 of a composite die assembly 45 (inverted from the illustrated position). A design sheet (101) is placed over the facing plate (103). A holding die assembly 30 is lowered, engaging with the loading die assembly 46 against the action of a spring 68, forcing the badge facing plate (103) and sheet (101) up into the holding die assembly 30 and folding the edge portions of the sheet (101) over the lip (104) of the facing plate (103). The holding die assembly 30 is raised and the composite die assembly 45 turned over so that a crimping die assembly 47 is uppermost. A badge back (107) is placed in the crimping die assembly 47. A second lowering of the holding die assembly 30 into engagement with the crimping die assembly 47 crimps the edge portions of the facing plate (103) inwards against the badge back (107) gripping the edge portions of the sheet (101). The holding die assembly 30 is raised and the assembled badge removed. The holding die assembly 30 comprises a folding and gripping die 37 movable vertically and rotationally with respect to a holding die 31. <IMAGE>

Description

A BADGE PRESS The present invention relates to a badge press for assembling badges of the type shown, by way of example, in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

Each badge has a design sheet 101 bearing the design and a transparent covering sheet 102, both secured to cover one side of a badge facing plate 103. The facing plate 103 is typically pressed from metal sheet to have a convex face and its edge portions folded away from the convex face to form a substantially perpendicular raised lip 104. The design sheet 101 and covering sheet 102 extend over the convex face of the facing plate 103 and have their edge portions folded to cover the outer surface of the lip 104 and returned over the edge of the lip 104 to cover the inner surface of the lip. The design sheet 101 and covering sheet 102 are retained by having their edge portions crimped between the inner surface of the lip 104 and an opposing surface of a badge back 107 retained adjacent the concave face of the facing plate by friction.

According to the present invention there is provided a badge press for assembling a badge of the type defined comprising a loading die assembly having a badge facing plate support and a design sheet support resiliently mounted co-axially with the facing plate support, a holding die assembly having holding means for receiving a facing plate in a loading condition of the press and a design sheet, the design sheet held having its edge portions deformed to lie between the outer surface of the facing plate lip and the holding means, the holding die assembly being engageable with the loading die assembly by operation of the press to load the facing plate and design sheet into the holding die assembly, and a crimping die assembly having a badge back support and a crimping die resiliently mounted co-axially with the back support, the loading die assembly being engageable with the crimping die assembly to locate a badge back onto the facing plate, wherein the loading die assembly and backing die assembly are positioned at opposite ends of a reversible composite die assembly.

A badge press embodying the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure la and Figure lb are cross-sectional views of the component parts and an assembled circular badge of the type defined respectively.

Figure 2 is a side view of a badge press for assembling circular badges of the type defined.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the badge press of Figure 2 along the line Ill-Ill, with the assemblies spaced apart.

The badge press shown in Figure 1 has a cast aluminium body 1, comprising a base plate 2, an upright support 3 extending vertically upwards from a middle portion of the base plate 2 and a triangular support strengthening web 4 extending between the support 3 and the rear portion of the base plate 2. A support block 7 extends forward from the upper portion of the upright support 3. A portion 8 of the upper surface of the base plate 2 extending forward from the upright support 3 lies below the support block 7 and has a flat top surface.

The support block 7 has a cavity open both at the top surface 9 and the front surface 12 of the block 7. A hand lever 13 extends outwards from the support block 7 and has a cam-forming portion 14 at its lower end located within the slot in the support block 7.

The hand lever 13 is pivoted about a pin 17 extending laterally within the slot in the upper portion of the block 7 and passing through the cam-f orming portion 14 of the hand lever 13. The hand lever 13 can be manually pivoted forwards about the pin 17 from the upright position shown in Figure 1 towards a horizontal position.

The upper portion of the hand lever 13 carries a plastics hand grip 18. The cam-forming portion 14 of the hand lever 13 is in contact with a horizontal plate 23 positioned below the cam-forming portion 14 and extending rearwards in the slot in the support block 7.

A push rod 24 extends downwards from the front portion of the plate 23 through a vertical bore in the support block 7, the lower end portion of the push rod 24 projecting downwards beyond the lower surface 19 of the support block 7. A screw 27 secures the upper portion of the push rod 24 to the front portion of the plate 23. A helical spring 28 extends upwards from the bottom of the cavity in the support block 7 to the rear portion of the plate 23. When the lever 13 is pivoted forwards, the cam-forming portion 14 bears upon the upper surface of the plate 23 forcing the plate 23 and push rod 24 downwards, compressing the spring 28. When the lever 13 is released, the action of the spring 28 returns the lever to the upright position of Figure 2 and raises the plate 23 and push rod 24.

A holding die assembly 30 is mounted on the lower end of the portion of the push rod 24, as shown in Figure 3. The holding die assembly 30 comprises a cylindrical holding die 31 having a cylindrical recess in its upper surface to engage with an end portion of the push rod 24 having a reduced diameter and a shoulder 22. A screw 33 extends upwards through the holding die 31 into the push rod 24 and secures the holding die 31 firmly against the shoulder 22 of the push rod 24.

The upper portion 36 of the holding die 31 is of increased diameter and the lower surface 32 of the holding die 31 has a concave portion corresponding to the convex face of the badge facing plate 103. The holding die assembly further comprises an annular folding and gripping die 37 mounted coaxially with the holding die 31. The folding and gripping die 37 is movable both vertically and rotationally with respect to the holding die 31. Upwards movement of the folding and gripping die 37 is limited by abutting the upper portion 36 of the holding die 31, as shown in Figure 3. The holding die 31 has two L shaped slots 38, on opposite portions of its curved surface. The folding and gripping die 37 has two lateral bores corresponding to the L shaped slots 38 and a screw 41 extends through each lateral bore and projects into the corresponding L shaped slot in the holding die 31.The portion of each screw 41 projecting into the L shaped slot bears a roller 42 and the screws are each locked by a locking screw 43. The rollers allow the folding and gripping die 37 to move easily with respect to the holding die 31 by bearing upon the inner surfaces of the L shaped slots 38. The folding and gripping die 37 may move vertically with the projecting portions of the screws 41 and rollers 42 in the vertical portions of the L shaped slots 38. Rotation of the folding die 37 will move the projecting portions of the screws 41 and rollers 42 into the horizontal portions of the L shaped slots 38.

In this position vertical movement of the folding and gripping die 37 is prevented and the lower portion of the folding and gripping die 37 projects downwards beyond the lower surface 32 of the holding die 31. The folding and gripping die 37 can be easily rotated by means of a handle 39 projecting forwards, visible in Figure 1.

The badge press further comprises a composite die assembly 45, having a loading die assembly 46 and a crimping die assembly 47 mounted on a cylindrical die mounting 48, as shown in Figure 3.

The loading die assembly 46 comprises a cylindrical badge facing plate support 49, having a supporting face 52 and an annular design sheet support 53 mounted coaxially with the facing plate support 49 and movable vertically with respect to the facing plate support.

The design sheet support 53 has its end portion 54 adjacent the supporting face 52 of increased diameter to provide a supporting surface for the design sheet 101 and the covering sheet 102, if used. The opposite end portion of the design sheet support 53 is formed with an inner flange 57 which engages with a portion of the facing plate support 49 of reduced diameter and limits the vertical movement of the design sheet support 53. The end portion of the badge facing plate support 49 adjacent the supporting face 52 is of reduced diameter, forming an annular groove 50 between the badge facing plate support 49 and the design sheet support 53.

The crimping die assembly 47 comprises a cylindrical badge back support 61 separated from the facing plate support 49 by the die mounting 48. A single central bolt 62 secures the badge back support 61, die mounting 48 and facing plate support 49 together.

The crimping die assembly 47 further comprises an annular crimping die 63 mounted coaxially with and movable vertically with respect to, the badge back support 61 and is formed with an inner flange 64, to limit vertical movement, and an end portion 67 of increased diameter. The portion 67 of the crimping die 63 has a chamfered crimping surface 70.

A helical spring 68 is compressed between the end portion 67 of the crimping die 63 and the end portion 54 of the facing plate support 49. Vertical movement of both the crimping die 63 and the design sheet support 53 against the action of the spring 68 is limited by a flange 69 projecting from the die mounting 48.

To locate the composite die assembly 45 in the press, the base 2 has a central bore receiving a spigot 77 of a die mounting plate 72 shown in Figure 3. The die mounting plate 72 has a raised central portion 74 defined by an annular shoulder 75 sized to be received snugly in the end portion 54 of the design sheet support 53 and the end portion 67 of the crimping die 63. The die mounting plate 72, when in position, ensures that the composite die assembly 45 is located below the holding die assembly 30 for correct operation of the press.

In operation, the die mounting plate 72 is located in position on the base 2 and the composite die assembly 45 placed on the platform 72 with the holding die assembly 46 uppermost and the crimping die assembly 47 correctly located on the die mounting plate 72. The folding and crimping die 37 in the holding die assembly 30 is rotated to the position where the screws 41 project into the horizontal portion of the slots 38 in the holding die 31. This prevents vertical movement of the folding and crimping die 37.

A badge facing plate 103 is placed on the facing plate support 49 with its convex face uppermost and the lip 104 extending downwards into the annular groove 50. A design sheet 101 is then placed over the facing plate, with the design uppermost, to rest in the design sheet support 53. A transparent covering sheet 102, if used, is then placed over the design sheet 101. The hand lever 13 can then be pulled forwards, lowering the holding die assembly 30 until it engages with the loading die assembly 46. Further lowering of the holding die assembly 30 lowers the design sheet support 53 against the action of the spring 68, so that the facing plate support 49 projects up into the holding die assembly 30.This action forces the badge facing plate 103 and sheets 101, 102 up into the folding and crimping die 37 and folds the edge portions of the sheets 101, 102 over the outer surface of the lip 104 on the facing plate 103. The hand lever 13 is then returned to the upright position, raising the holding die assembly 30, the facing plate 103 and sheets 101, 102 remaining in the holding die assembly 30 due to friction.

To complete the badge, the composite die assembly 45 is upturned so that the crimping die assembly 47 is uppermost and the loading die assembly 46 is located correctly on the die mounting plate 72. A badge back 107 is then placed on the badge back support 61. The badge back 107 may be a simple ring having a lip to retain a badge pin (as shown in Figure 1), a backing plate incorporating a badge pin, a magnetic disc or a ring having a lip to retain a mirror glass, for example.

The folding and crimping die 37 is rotated so that the screws 41 align with the vertical portion of the slots 38 and the lever 13 is again pulled forwards thus lowering the holding die assembly 30 onto the crimping die assembly 47. Continued movement of the lever 13 lowers the holding die assembly 30 further, so that the holding die 31 projects into the crimping die 63 and the folding and crimping die 37 is raised.

The downward facing edge portions of the sheets 101, 102 in the holding die assembly 30 and the lip 104 of the badge back 103 contact the chamfered inner edge 70 of the crimping die 63 and are bent inwards. The edge portions of the sheets 101, 102 then contact the badge back 107 and are folded inwards and upwards inside the lip 104 of the facing plate 103. The badge back 107 is forced inside the lip 104 of the facing plate 103 by the action of the descending holding die 31 and the edge portions of the sheets 101, 102 are gripped between the lip 104 of the facing plate 103 and the outer surface of the badge back 107. The completed badge is held assembled by friction between the badge back 107, sheets 101, 102 and the lip 104 of the facing plate 103.

The hand lever 13 can then be raised, the assembled badge removed and the procedure repeated for further badges.

Claims

1. A badge press for assembling a badge of the type defined comprising a loading die assembly having a badge facing plate support and a design sheet support resiliently mounted co-axially with the facing plate support, a holding die assembly having holding means for receiving a facing plate in a loading condition of the press and a design sheet, the design sheet held having its edge portions deformed to lie between the outer surface of the facing plate lip and the holding means, the holding die assembly being engageable with the loading die assembly by operation of the press to load the facing plate and design sheet into the holding die assembly, and a crimping die assembly having a badge back support and a crimping die resiliently mounted co-axially with the back support, the loading die assembly being engageable with the crimping die assembly to locate a badge back onto the facing plate, wherein the loading die assembly and backing die assembly are positioned at opposite ends of a reversible composite die assembly.

2. A badge press according to claim 1, wherein the design sheet support and the crimping die are resiliently mounted by engagement with opposite ends of a single spring.

3. A badge press according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the loading die assembly and crimping die assembly are secured by the same single bolt extending between the facing plate support and the badge back support.

4. A badge press according to any preceding claim, wherein the crimping die assembly and loading die assembly are engageable with location means, one assembly being engaged with the location means and the other assembly being located for engagement with the holding die assembly during operation of the press.

5. A badge press substantially as hereinbefore described having reference to the accompanying drawings.